This Lexus CT 200h Hybrid is one tricked-out vehicle

Posted March 1, 2011 - 10:44
by
Pete Danko, EarthTechling

The upcoming CT 200h is the most affordable of the Lexus hybrids, with a base price of $29,120, which might be exactly why the Toyota luxury division decided to spice things up a bit at the recent Chicago Auto Show, putting the car modifier Five Axis to work on it.

Instead of trotting out the standard CT 200h, Lexus displayed a "highly-modified Five Axis Project CT that proves that hybrids can be aggressive."

What that meant in real terms was a custom widebody conversion, a green, JDSU paint dubbed "Dark Passage," 19-inch forged wheels, a custom touchscreen interface console and more aggressive suspension and braking systems.

While this tuner was intended to draw eyes to Lexus and give its new hybrid a cool sheen, the CT 200h due out this spring is really about the more prosaic goal of making a premium compact hybrid that actually performs like a hybrid. Which is to say, gets great mileage.